Stewart Investors joins Responsible Minerals Initiative Investor Network as founding member

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Feb 15, 2024, 14:52 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stewart Investors, an active, long-only equity specialist focused on sustainable investing since 2005, today announced it has become a founding member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) Investor Network.

The RMI Investor Network will bring together a range of investment industry stakeholders to advance responsible sourcing and the renewable energy transition.

"We believe that investors have a role to play in ensuring that global mineral supply chains are free of human rights abuses," said Chris McGoldrick, Senior Investment Analyst at Stewart Investors. "In the past, NGOs, regulators, and companies have often found themselves on different sides of the table when it comes to conflict minerals. But ultimately, addressing this problem will require a coordinated effort from all stakeholders to improve transparency and support responsible mining practices. Investors are central to this coordination. We firmly believe the RMI Investor Network marks an important step toward both influencing and improving mineral supply chains. We look forward to working with the RMI Investor Network as an inaugural member and encourage others to join us in this important initiative."

Many institutional investors would like to work with downstream companies to drive environmental, social and corporate governance changes upstream in the mining and smelting sectors, across geographies, but lack the necessary tools, expertise and connections. The (RMI), part of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), has launched the RMI Investor Network to promote responsible mining and mineral sourcing worldwide by giving investors access to world-class due diligence tools and collaborative opportunities. This engagement is crucial to achieving a just renewable energy transition, advancing the RMI's mission to enable companies to source all minerals responsibly including from conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

"The RMI is very pleased to welcome Stewart Investors as the first company to join the newly formed RMI Investor Network," said Jennifer Peyser, Executive Director of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). "We value their insights and leadership as we scale the Network to support the investor community and its role in driving responsible minerals supply chains and a just green energy transition."

This collaboration with the RMI Investor Network follows Stewart Investors' long-term commitment to promote sustainable development and engagement on conflict minerals in the semiconductor supply chain. At the end of 2021, the firm launched a collaborative engagement: Tackling conflict mineral content in the semiconductor supply chain. This initiative was supported by 160 signatories amounting to US$6.59 trillion of assets as of November 2021. Since then, it continues to attract interest from a number of large financial institutions and has enabled engagement with some of the largest technology companies in the world.

Paul Chandler, Director of Stewardship at the Principles for Responsible Investment, comments: "Good responsible investment practice means investors engaging their portfolio companies and working more closely with industry players on systemic ESG issues that matter. The PRI welcomes the improved access, and the opportunity to develop best practice, that this development from the newly created RMI Investor Network entails."

The RMI is the largest industry association in the minerals space working to address responsible mineral sourcing issues in industry supply chains. The RMI provides companies with a full ecosystem that includes due diligence tools and assurance, and helps companies make responsible sourcing decisions to improve regulatory compliance and source all minerals responsibly.

Institutional investors can learn more about the benefits of the RMI Investor Network and start the application process here on the RMI website and can contact the RMI Investor Network Team at [email protected].

About Stewart Investors
Founded in 1988, Stewart Investors is an active, long-only equity manager focused on sustainable investing. Stewart Investors manages approximately $18 billion for clients worldwide in global, emerging markets and regional strategies. Based in Edinburgh, the firm also has offices in London, Singapore, New York and Sydney. For more information, please visit: www.stewartinvestors.com.

About the Responsible Minerals Initiative
The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) is an initiative of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA). The RMI is a multi-industry initiative with more than 500 member companies. Its members contribute to the development and international uptake of a range of tools and resources focused on minerals supply chain due diligence, including independent third-party audit programs for smelters, Minerals Reporting Templates, supply chain risk assessment tools, Country of Origin data, and guidance documents on responsible sourcing of all minerals/metals. The RMI runs regular workshops on responsible sourcing issues and contributes to policy development with civil society organizations and governments. For more information, visit ResponsibleMineralsInitiative.org

Contact
Margaret Kirch Cohen/Richard Chimberg
Newton Park PR
+1 847-507-2229
+1 617-312-4281
[email protected]
[email protected]

About First Sentier Investors
First Sentier Investors manages US$162.1 billion in assets (as at Dec. 31, 2023) on behalf of institutional investors, pension funds, wholesale distributors, investment platforms, financial advisers and their clients worldwide. The firm was acquired by Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc in August 2019, and operates as a standalone global investment management business with offices across Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. First Sentier Investors is a globally Certified B Corporation and signatory to the UK Stewardship Code. The firm's investment expertise spans across a range of asset classes and specialist sectors focused on delivering sustainable investment success based on responsible investment principles.

For more information, visit www.firstsentierinvestors.com

Important Information
This material is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute investment or financial advice and does not take into account any specific investment objectives, financial situation or needs. This is not an offer to provide asset management services, is not a recommendation or an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any security or to execute any agreement for portfolio management or investment advisory services and this material has not been prepared in connection with any such offer. Before making any investment decision you should consider, with the assistance of a financial advisor, your individual investment needs, objectives and financial situation.

SOURCE Stewart Investors